Herschel

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS 

• Myanmar
• China
• Cambodia
• Vietnam 

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES

Herschel’s Code of Conduct prohibits forced labour and human trafficking, aligning with international human rights standards. All partners must accept this code to enter into collaboration. According to Herschel, its suppliers are subject to independent third-party audits, and the brand also states that it conducts regular factory visits. However, the audit results are not published.

Due to a lack of transparency, we cannot assess the exact working conditions of the people in Herschel’s value chain. However, we can assume that the risks of labour rights violations in garment factories are very high in Myanmar. Read more about the situation for garment workers by Fair Wear Foundation: Vietnam, Myanmar. 

MATERIALS 

• Polyester 
• Nylon 
• Cotton 
• Leather 
   

The company uses a variety of materials for its collections, primarily synthetic fibres such as polyester and nylon. Some products are made from recycled polyester from plastic bottles, but Herschel does not state what share of its total material use is recycled. 

By the end of 2022, according to Herschel, a total of 4 million recycled bottles had been used for the production of the collection it markets as its ​“Eco Collection”. Worth knowing: turning PET bottles into textiles takes them out of the bottle-to-bottle recycling loop, and polyester products themselves are rarely recycled again.

Herschel states that it is regularly audited under the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) for products containing recycled material. GRS is an independent standard that verifies recycled content and tracks it through the supply chain. Additionally, the brand has been a member of Cascale since 2021 and has been using the Higg Index tools since 2022. These are self-assessment tools for measuring environmental and social performance. Membership and use are not a certification and do not in themselves prove better performance.

PACKAGING 

• According to Herschel, it works to minimise packaging use, opting for labels and product tags made from 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper (FSC certification means the paper comes from forests managed according to FSC criteria or from recycled sources). 
• The brand says it is increasingly transitioning to recycled and reusable packaging materials, but does not publish percentages or targets. 
• The company is working to replace paper labels with QR codes to save paper.

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS 

Herschel states that all its products are tested for harmful substances in line with the European REACH regulation and California Prop 65. Please note that complying with these regulations is a legal requirement for selling products in these markets, not an additional sustainability achievement. 

Herschel does not share any information about water usage in its supply chain.

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN 

According to Herschel, it primarily uses mono-materials, which can make recycling easier in principle. However, the brand does not state what share of its products is made this way, and large-scale textile recycling is still very limited.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS 

Since 2023, the company has been testing a repair service and says it is working on a circular economy strategy to find better solutions for the end-of-life of its products and packaging. No concrete plan, targets or timeline have been published yet. We are looking forward to a broader implementation of this pilot project!

In 2021, all owned and leased retail stores as well as offices were powered by 100% renewable energy, according to Herschel. This only covers the brand’s own locations, not the factories in its supply chain, which typically account for the largest share of a fashion brand’s emissions.

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN 

Production locations: 

• China
• Cambodia
• Myanmar
• Vietnam

As Herschel’s headquarters are located in Vancouver, the distances in the supply chain are very long. 

TRANSPORTATION 

Herschel does not disclose what transportation methods are used in their supply chain, and due to the complexities of their supply chain, the associated emissions are likely to be high. 

• Leather

Unfortunately, Herschel does not mention any code of conduct or actions to ensure animal welfare practices. 

PRODUCT DESIGN 

Herschel emphasises timeless design and functionality with the aim of making products that last a long time. The brand educates customers about proper care, recommending practices such as washing synthetic fabrics in cold water and using gentle cycles to reduce the release of microfibres. These efforts aim to extend product lifespan and reduce microfibre pollution.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES

As Herschel does not produce made-to-order items, there is a sales section on their website. 

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT 

Each product page details what material the items are made from, although production countries are not provided. This lack of transparency makes it impossible to determine where your individual purchase was produced. 

TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESSES 

Herschel publishes emissions for Scope 1, 2 and 3, and in 2021 it initiated a CO2 emissions reduction initiative with South Pole. From the available information, it is not clear whether this initiative focuses on actual emission reductions or on carbon offsetting. They do not share any detailed information about the production facilities in their supply chain, nor about the working conditions or relationships they have with the suppliers nor about the exact origin of the materials.